Tap
by colorfauxtograph
Summary: He stopped, and she heard the clinking again, presumably from the man taking a sip, "I think it's a bit unfair to judge all his compositions based on one idiot's misconception."


I don't own Yu-gi-Oh!. However, I do own a Music Appreciation textbook, a Yamaha baby grand, and The Complete Works of Ludwig van Beethoven, all of which partially inspired this story.

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_Tap, tap, tap_

The young woman sighed as the cool night air hit her face, refreshing her almost instantly. Though it certainly wasn't her scene, Shizuka Jounouchi had been spending the last three hours in Seto Kaiba's lavish mansion, attending a party to celebrate the beginning of yet another Duel Monsters tournament. No, not a party, more like a gala event. It was magnificent; some of the most prominent duelists in the world were there. Mai Valentine, Yuugi Motou, and even her own brother had been invited. The latter was a surprise to everyone, except for Katsuya. He merely stated that he was a, how did he put it, "damn good duelist," and "even that dumbass Kaiba recognizes it now!"

Shizuka shook her head, smiling softly at her brother's antics. He wasn't the biggest gentleman, his vocabulary could use some expanding, but he was a good man. She was surprised, though, that he still played that game. Old habits and such, she supposed, but truthfully she thought it made him feel like a kid again. It was merely his way of attempting to recapture a childhood he never got to experience. He certainly acted like a child when it came to dueling. Honestly, he still talked about Kaiba as though he were a snake, cold and ruthless. While that may be true in the business world, she knew Kaiba donated millions of dollars to orphanages and other philanthropic organizations all the time. She didn't think a snake would be capable of that.

Laughing at herself for defending her brother's "archnemisis," she walked slowly down the path she found in front of her, her dress trailing slowly behind her. It was simple really, a soft green color, like clover. Anzu had said it went well with her hair, so Shizuka had to trust her. She certainly wasn't an expert in fashion by any means. For someone in her position, she didn't think she really needed to worry about what was in style. Gliding her hand down the low wall along the path, she stopped when she found a bench, nestled into the wall, made of the same hard stone. Finally, a reprieve for her aching feet! She sat down and immediately pulled off the offending heels. Again, pretty, but not her taste. She longed for her white sneakers, worn in all the right places, just perfect for her feet. Music emanated from the mansion like a lighthouse, giving her some bearings. It would be very easy to get lost out here among the winding paths of the gardens.

Shizuka had never been to the Kaiba mansion before, she had never even met Seto Kaiba in person. Unlike her brother, she had absolutely no interest in the card game that had so much of the world enthralled. She was also twenty-four, old enough to drink even in the United States, which left her with rent, a job, and no time for cards. Never meeting the man didn't lessen her knowledge of him though. She knew what the press and her friends told her: that Seto Kaiba was as cold and calculating as any businessman, but that he did have a soft spot for his only living relative, Mokuba. Of course, the tabloids did talk about him in a little more detail. He was portrayed as a dashing, debonair, hard-shell-but-if-you-can-get-close-enough-maybe-you'll-be-able-to-melt-me bachelor. Yes, they did like to stress the bachelor part.

_Tap, tap, tap_

"Will you stop that? It's quite annoying."

Letting a surprised "oh!" escape her mouth, she quickly silenced her cane, with which she had been keeping beat with the music from the house. Shizuka could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks as she compressed it into it's collapsed state. "I'm very sorry, I didn't realize--I thought I was alone out here," she stammered, trying not to embarrass herself further.

"Hn," was the only reply she got. To her right, about two or three meters, give or take. It was odd she hadn't noticed him before, he must have been as still as a statue to have escaped her hearing. Jou liked to call her "Stellaluna" after an American story he had read when he was younger, about a bat who is separated from her mother, the only one she loved in the world. The ending was a happy one, Stellaluna found her way back to her mother, and they lived happily as a family. Jou liked it, of course, because it paralleled their situation perfectly. She did have exceptional hearing, one naturally does after another sense is blocked off.

Now that she knew he was there, she was no longer comfortable. She could smell him, a mix of expensive, brand name cologne and something sweeter, but she could probably attribute that to the flowers. Not wanting to be rude to this man whose evening she clearly disrupted, she attempted to start a conversation, "So...not enjoying the party?"

A snort. That was it. Well, so much for trying to break the ice. Fine, if he wanted to be silent and awkward the whole time, it was all right with her. Letting loose a small "hmph," she crossed her arms over her chest and sank back into the bench haughtily.

"Well, don't you look mature?" His voice, deep and rich, startled her. She stuck her chin high and "hmphed" again, turning her nose up at him in a most immature way. Her amber eyes widened when she heard him chuckle, a soft almost menacing sound.

Shizuka began to fiddle with the fabric on her lap. She wasn't about to leave and give him the satisfaction of scaring her off. Granted, the man had been here first, but that gave him no reason to be rude to her. She would stand her ground, even stay here all night if it came to that.

Neither one spoke for a long time. Shizuka busied herself with picking out the sounds of the garden around her. She could hear the crickets chirping, singing to their comrades across the grass. The music from the mansion had lulled to a soft, classical melody. Bach's "Air." Not her favorite, but a very moving piece nonetheless. She drifted a while with the music, letting her sightless eyes slip closed and her head fall back against the stone behind her.

A soft clinking disturbed her reverie, and Shizuka straightened automatically. It certainly wouldn't do to fall asleep out here. She had forgotten all about the silent man beside her, which she now realized must have had a drink with him. The ice in the glass accounting for the clinks. She heard him shift, his clothes rustling together softly. She held back a grin. He was probably giving up on this little game, bored of it and returning back to the house. Ha! She had won! To her chagrin, she did not hear him stand to leave. Instead, his voice filled her ears, "This is one of my favorite songs."

That was it. No big explanation why, no insult, nothing else. Just a simple statement of fact. Strangely, Shizuka was glad he had said something. She tried conversation again.

"Bach, I believe," she began, nodding. "I like him, but his songs tend to be a bit on the dark side. 'Toccata and Fugue' seems straight out of a horror film."

The man snorted again. "That's because it _is_. Someone a long time ago heard it and made the same assumption, that it was a 'scary' composition, and for decades people have had the same opinion of that piece and all of Bach's other compositions." He stopped, and she heard the clinking again, presumably from the man taking a sip, "I think it's a bit unfair to judge all his compositions based on one idiot's misconception."

Her eyes widened. Apparently he could talk, she just didn't have him on the right subject. Her confidence up, she let a small smile grace her lips, and continued, "I suppose you're right. However, he is still not my favorite."

"Well then, who is worthy enough for the great Shizuka? I suppose you like "Canon" or some other sappy, romantic musician." Apparently he wasn't comfortable enough to talk without insulting her. And the way he said her name, delicately, as if by speaking it the very word would break. Wait, Shizuka? How did he know her name?

"How did you--I never said my name!" she stuttered. Another low chuckle, followed by another rustle of clothing. She began to think back on the short conversation. Never once had she said her name, nor did she know his. No one in the duelist world even knew about her. With her being separate from Katsuya for most of her life, there had been no opportunity to rub elbows with anyone at this party, aside from her brothers friends. But she would have known if it were them. They were prone to pranks, especially Honda and Otoji. But...why would they play a trick on her, the very woman they were vying for themselves?

So then who was this mystery man who knew her? It was unsettling, she was already at a disadvantage because of her blindness, she only had his voice and smell to go by. She inhaled, trying to place the scent, but never before had she encountered this person, she was absolutely sure. She turned toward the man, "Who put you up to this? Honda? Because I know I've never met you before, so obviously someone is playing a trick on me!"

"Hmm," was all he said. She heard him move and felt a warm weight fall across her back. He had his arm around her casually, and before she knew it, his voice was in her ear. "What kind of host would I be if I didn't know the guest list to my own party, hmm?"

Shizuka could hear the click in her mind as the pieces fell into place. _His_ party...that meant...

Fantastic. She was outside with Seto Kaiba.

It was Kaiba who hated parties and conversation. Kaiba who preferred Bach over any other composer. Kaiba who had his arm draped over her. Kaiba who smelled so nice and had a voice like melted chocolate.

Oh dear. Shizuka had to stop herself from jumping up and running away. If Katsuya knew who she was with, if he _saw _her...there would be trouble.

With a capital, underlined "t."

She had to reply, couldn't just flounder like this. She finally was able to come up with a halfway intelligent response.

"Oh," she started, "well then, I probably should be go--"

His lips were on her neck.

Her first instinct was to scream or run. Kaiba was invading her personal space and disrespecting her. Not only was she his enemy's sister, they had spoken only a few sentences. That was apparently enough information to ravage her.

But he wasn't. He wasn't biting or licking or whatever the hell you do when your "ravaging" or necking. He wasn't even really kissing her. It was just a soft press of lips to skin. It didn't set her skin aflame or make her go weak at the knees. It was innocent, simple. His hands weren't roaming along her body. One was still behind her, fingers curled in her hair gently. After all she'd heard of this man, gentle was one thing she wasn't expecting. Passionate, yes. Dominating, of course. But gentle? Not at all.

Perhaps that's the reason she didn't push him away. She stayed perfectly still, her hands still folded in her lap as he moved with excruciating slowness to run his lips over her jaw, inhaling along her neck, capturing her scent.

Her heart was hammering in her chest. Despite the innocence of the kisses, she could feel the power in those lips, those hands. She knew that he could take control of her and she would go along willingly, in that moment. Her brother and his silly rivalries were forgotten as she finally moved her hands to both sides of his face.

"I want to see you," Shizuka breathed, proud her voice didn't waver. She was always nervous when she did this, but this was a new feeling in her belly, akin to dropping on that first big hill of a roller coaster.

He said nothing, but remained still as she put her hands on his jaw, feeling the smooth, clean shaven skin. They travelled upward to his hair, thick and perfectly in place. Everywhere her fingers trailed, she cataloged it in her mind, making an impressionistic portrait of him for her only. When her fingers reached his ears, she heard him gasp. Interesting, ears did tend to be sensitive in the right moment. She smiled, running her fingers along the cartilage at the top, eliciting a light moan from Kaiba. Continuing, she traced his eyes, which were open, and moved to his nose, slender and a bit pointed.

She didn't touch his lips, instead her hands found their way back to his hair, sliding through her fingers. Taking a deep breath, she pulled him down slowly to press his lips to her own.

The feeling in her belly intensified, spreading to her body. She had turned towards him during her exploration of his face, and he pulled her effortlessly onto his lap. This kiss was soft, and she could feel him pushing against his restraint. He nipped her bottom lip, and she granted him entrance.

His tongue explored her mouth with expertise, running along her own. His hands were on her back, pushing her closer to him. Breaking for air, he ran his lips along her collarbone. She barely recognized her own voice when she let out a long moan as he found the sensitive pulse point at her neck. The throaty sound seemed to break through his spell, and he stopped all too soon.

Both breathing heavily, they sat for a long while, her hands still in his hair, his resting on her waist. She spoke first:

"Katsuya--"

"Will never know," he interrupted. "I would very much like to continue our conversation, but maybe now is not the time or place." Shizuka could hear his smirk. Kaiba slid her off his lap.

"'Til we meet again, Shizuka," he whispered placing a quick kiss to her lips. As she heard him leave she gathered her wits and called back, her voice soft, "Beethoven."

"What?" he replied, confused.

Smiling, she clarified, "Indeed, a Romantic composer. Beethoven is my favorite."

He chuckled quietly, his voice velvet, "Always took you for a sap, Jounouchi."

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My first one shot. It was more challenging than I expected. You don't realize how much you rely on your characters having five senses until you try to write them without one. Also, "Stellaluna" is a real book. I've always loved the story, and it is kinda similar to Shizuka and Katsuya's situation.

Let me know if Kaiba seemed to OOC. My first time writing anything Yu-Gi-Oh, and even though I'm a huge fan of him, I worried I didn't do him justice!

You know the drill, review please! I always love to hear from you guys.

(As for Equinox, I'm trying to get my bearings on where I want the story to go. It's not dead! Don't worry!)


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